The
funding originally included in the bill would have helped restore federally
protected research buildings at the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife
Refuge that were severely damaged during Hurricane Sandy. An unwarranted
amendment by Representative John Fleming of Louisiana cut all the funding.

“I
voted for the bill and am pleased it will provide much-needed relief for
Connecticut, but this was a vindictive amendment that needlessly slashes
disaster relief for one particular state,” DeLauro said. “Federal
disaster relief is meant to restore homes, businesses, communities and federal
facilities to their pre-disaster conditions. We do this whether the
disaster is a fire in the west, a tornado in the south, or a hurricane in the
northeast. There is no good reason to make an exception of the McKinney Refuge.
By cutting the funding needed to rebuild the Connecticut coastline to its
pre-Sandy condition, this amendment prevents the McKinney Refuge from meeting
its federal commitment to conserve wildlife and provide education and outdoor
recreation for the public. This is a terrible precedent for disaster aid.”

Courtney said “Given the
fact that the proponent of the amendment comes from a state that received $71
million in wildlife restoration funds in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, this
amendment is a bitter pill for a state like Connecticut—a donor state to the
federal government. Hopefully this project will be properly funded at a later
date so that there will be parity for all states impacted by disasters.”